Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is a great attraction for both tourists as well as trekkers. It is also called Sagarmath (Nepali), Qomlongma (Tibetan), Chajamlungma (Limbu) and Zhumulangma (Chinese). It lies on the border of Nepal and China. The preferred approach to the mountain is from the Nepal side.
The mountain, though the highest, is not the most difficult one to climb. Mt K2 and Nanga Parbat, shorter than Mt Everest are much more difficult to climb. Till date, 2700 people have climbed Everest. The mountain has claimed life of 210 people. Altitude sickness, high wind and bad weather conditions are some of the challenges for the climber.
For most amateur trekkers, the base camp of Everest is the attainable destination. With the help of Sherpas, however, the courageous novices can scale the height of Everest. Most people need oxygen masks as the air gets pretty thin after a height. The permit for climbing Mt Everest can be obtained for about $25,000.